E4 has announced the cast for new comedy-drama Aliens.

Michael Socha (This is England, Being Human) and Michaela Coel (Top Boy, Chewing Gum) will lead the cast, with Socha playing the show’s mild-mannered hero and Coel as an alien.

The six one-hour episodes will also star Michael Smiley (Black Mirror), Ashley Walters (Cuffs), Holli Dempsey (Derek) and Trystan Gravelle (Mr Selfridge).

Produced by the makers of Misfits, Aliens is created by In the Flesh writer Fintan Ryan.

The official synopsis reads: “Aliens have been among us since they crash-landed in the UK 40 years ago. Though they look and behave exactly like us, they are forced to live a segregated life, behind a huge wall in a ghetto called Troy. It’s a hedonistic and ramshackle town, unpoliced and filled with gangs who make a living smuggling alien hair out of Troy to be smoked as a drug by humans.

“Lewis (Michael Socha) is a border guard who mans the checkpoint between Troy and the human side of the wall. In common with most humans, he regards the aliens who pass through the checkpoint to do menial jobs on the human side of town as second class citizens. But when he discovers that he is the world’s first half-alien, he finds himself drawn into a world of divided loyalties and a search for his own identity.”

Michael Socha commented: “I’ve never played anyone like Lewis before – it’s going to be an exciting challenge for me. E4 is the home of some of the coolest dramas in the UK and I can’t wait to take my first steps into the world of Troy.”

Michaela Coel added: “I’ve been a big fan of Fintan Ryan since Never Better and was directed by J Van Tulleken in my first ever television role. They, amongst many other things, make this one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever been a part of and I can’t wait to get started.”

Aliens will air on E4 in early 2016.

Are you looking forward to Aliens? Let us know below…